Coiler reel for reversing hot strip mills



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United States Patent 3,003,713 COILER REEL FOR REVERSING HOT STRIP MILLS Claude W. King, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Koppers Company, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 6, 1960, Ser. No. 34,248 5 Claims. (Cl. 242-781) The present invention relates to coiling reels for mills as exemplified in Steckel Patent No. 1,977,214, dated Octoher 6, 1934, and more particularly, to coiling reels of the double slot or entry type having a middle material engaging section of outwardly converging radial blades on diametrically opposite parts of a hub portion, a peripheral coil section of complemental semi-circular arcuate segments spaced along the opposite sides of the material engaging section to provide double slots between the middle section and the arcuate segments to receive the leading end of a strip of material to be coiled within a heat retaining furnace as it emerges from a rolling mill, particularly mills of the reversing type for hot-reducing a metal slab into an elongated strip of suitable thickness.

' Reels of this type must be designed to operate under severe conditions as to temperature, and stresses which obtain due to the temperature, at which the metal strip must be maintained in a furnace to permit hot rolling, and the reels must be able to withstand the weight of the material being rolled as well as receive and grip an advancing strip end for coiling the same by rotative power applied to the axis of the reel. 7 5 These reels or drums are normally mounted on, and driven by, an internally water-cooled shaft. This creates a temperature differential of from about 200 F. at the point of contact with the water-cooled shaft to a temperature of perhaps l800 F. or more on the outer periphery of the reel or drum. This great temperature difierential creates enormous stresses in the one-piece alloy casting normally used in the middle section, and causes cracking, fatigue, and frequently, outright breakage. These stresses and resultant failures are caused in the middle section by the outer periphery of the reel or drum expanding from the high temperature involved and the expansion of the middle section being restricted from much expansion, due to the lower temperature in that area as a result of its internal cooling.

As a consequence, the life expectancy of these reels varies from two to six months and to facilitate their frequent repair and replacement, to avoid undue downtime of the mill, it is necessary to have, at all operating times, two to five spares on hand. Because of these conditions, plants requiring this equipment, constantly seek improved reels, which are simple to construct, operate, and main tain, in a manner that eliminates the objectional features and service failures of prior reels for the same purpose, due primarily to rupture and other failures in service, owing to the inherent unequal stresses caused by unequal rates of thermal expansion and contraction between the peripheral and middle sections. 7

In accordance with the present invention, these disadvantages of prior reels of this type are eliminated by making the reels in five partsfrom three difierent sections comprising the aforesaid peripheral and middle sections and a radial end section of supports for the peripheral section.

The radial end section is made of inner and outer bands that separate on a center are where the outer band at the higher temperature can expand radially independently and without being restricted by the cooler middle section. The outer peripheral section can expand axially without forcing the parts of the end section into high stresses.

This arrangement of sections that are free to expand should greatly reduce expansion and contraction stresses, as well as the great temperature differentials inherent in 3,003,713 Patented Oct. 10, 1961 lCC one-piece construction. As a result, maintenance should be greatly reduced, the life expectancy extended with sim ple replacement of individual sections rather than loss of the complete reel or drum.

More particularly, the invention contemplates the detachable interconnection of the ring parts with the ring supports by splined joints, the interconnection of the segmental peripheral parts with the ring parts by initially freely expansible trunnion and socket joints, and the sus= pension of the segmental peripheral parts from the ring parts by the trunnion and socket joints so that the arcuate extremity of one segmental peripheral part is held in position closer to one of the converging blades on the middle part than the portion of the extremity of the other segmental peripheral part on the other side of that converging blade, and the opposite extremity of said other segmental peripheral part is held closer to the other con verging blade than the extremity of the first mentioned segmental peripheral part on the other side of that other converging blade.

The invention has, for further objects, such other im# provements and advantages in construction and operation as may be found to obtain from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: l

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic longitudinal sectional elevation through a portion of a four-high reversing hot strip mill embodying a coiling reel in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view of the coiling reel of the invention as shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal axial section taken on the" line III-III of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG- URE 3 showing in the upper half the fully expanded position of the peripheral parts relative to the ring parts and showing inthe lower half the unexpanded position of said parts in the cold condition; FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of one of the peripheral parts;

FIGURE 6 is an end elevation of the same;

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of the middle part;

FIGURE 8 is an end elevational view of the same;

FIGURE 9 is an end elevation of one of the radial rin parts;

FIGURE 10 is an end elevational view of the middle and peripheral parts without the radial ring parts;

FIGURE ll is an exploded viewof the bolts as used to spline the radial ring part with the radial supporting portion therefor on the middle part.

Referring to the drawings, the coiling reel comprises three sections composed of a middle part 15, a pair of peripheral coil segments 16, and a pair of end discs 17. As seen in FIGURES 7 and 8, the middle part 15 is constituted of a hub portion 18, oppositely disposed elongated blades 19, 19 on diametrically opposite sides of the axis of the hub 18, bushings 20 at the opposite axial ends of hub 18 for reception of an internally watercooled drive shaft 21 (FIGURE 3) for rotatably driving or winding the reel. The radial blades 19, 19 converge outwardly on lines transverse to the longitudinal axis of the hub 18, which is rectangular in transverse cross-section. The bushings 20 are also constituted of a radial inner ring 24 extending outwardly to the center are 23 where the outer ring 25 of higher temperature meets the inner ring 24, which is cooler, due to the internal cooling of the hub by the drive shaft. The inner and outer rings 24, 25 together compose the discs 17. This radial inner ring 24 is formed on the middle part 15 to constitute axially spaced ring supports 24 for the pair of radial rings 25. The outer limits of the supports 24, being at V 3' the region of the center are 23, are beyond the outer limits 26 of the hub 18, as will be seen in FIGURE 8.

The pair of outer rings 25 which, together with the inner rings 24, compose the spaced disc elements 17, each have their base centers 27 of a diameter'slightly larger than the outside diameter of the inner ring supports 24, to allow for independent radial differential expansion of ring'supports 24 and the disc elements'in the form of rings 25, and for easier assembly of these members.

Referring to FIGURES 2 to 6, the pair of peripheral parts 16 16 each comprises a semi-circular arcuate segment of circular external contour 28 'whose axial length, in the cold condition, is A" per foot of length less than the length of the radial blades 19, 19 to allow for expansion lengthwise of the axial length of the hub .18, without forcing any part of the reel into compression or tension stresses when heated to normal operating temperature in the heat retaining chamber 29' for the reel.

The two peripheral parts 16 16 being semi-circular arcuate segments of the reel, constitute a semi-wraparound portion for the middle part 15, so that the middle part is not exposed to the high surface heat around the outer periphery. Hence, the middle part 15 will operate at correspondingly lower temperatures, which will be relatively equal throughout the middle part. Conversely, this arrangement insures that the hot steel, when being coiled on surface 28 of parts 16, 16 is in no place contacting low-temperature spots on the reel, thereby maintaining more uniform temperature in the steel being rolled. The peripheral parts 16 16 are reinforced by ribs 30,

and are provided with a series of trunnions 31 at each longitudinal end to seat in sockets 32 in the disc elements in the form of rings 25, which suspend'the arcuate peripheral parts 16*, 16 in a fixed relation relative to the middle part 15 during rotation of the reel inwinding and unwinding the strip material.

For each part 16*, 16, there are provided four trunnions 31 at each end, for insertion in four sockets 32 in the discs or rings 25. The trunnions are spaced, as shown, in the lower half of FIGURE 4 to allow for expansion of the parts 16*, 16 relative to the discs or rings 25, so that when fully heated up, the ends of the parts merely touch the discs or rings 25, as shown in the upper half of FIGURE 4.

Referring to FIGURES 4, 11, 8, 9, and 10, the adjoining parts of disc rings 25 and their ring supports 24, are provided with complemental square spline openings 27' for reception of spline bolts 33 in the form of square T bolts. These elements constitute the means for interlocking the discs rings 25 and their ring supports 24 to gether for rotation of the disc rings 25 and the peripheral parts 16*, 16 in unison with the middle part 15.

To provide the double entry slots 34 for reception of the lead ends of strip material in coiling and uncoiling the same on the reel, the trunnion sockets 32 for the trunnions 31 on one arcuate extremity 35 of one part 16 are located closer to the apex of one blade 19 than the corresponding trunnion sockets 32 for the trunnion 31 on the arcuate extremity 36' on' they other part 16' on the other side of that blade. 19. The. trunnion sockets 32 for the trunnions 31 on the arcuate extremity 37 at the axially opposite end of said other part 16 are located closer to the apex of the other blade 19 at the diametrically opposite side of the hub 18, than, the corresponding trunnion sockets 32 for the trunnions 31 on the arcuate extremity 38 on the other part 16 on the other side of that other blade 19*. This provides for entrance slots. 34 of decreasing dimensions on diametrically opposite portions of the reel, as shown in FIGURES I, 2,,and 10.

Assembly of the reel is relatively simple. In the first step, a disc ring 25 is placed over the disc ring support 24 at one end of the hub 18 so, as to-correctly line up the square spline openings 27'. The square T bolts 33 are then inserted into each completed spline opening 27' and tightened to about A clearance. The nuts 33' are then locked with cotter pins. In the next step, the pair of arcuate peripheral parts 16 16 are inserted in their proper arrangement with the four trunnions 31 entering the correct four sockets 32 in the disc or ring 25 for each part 16 of the pair 16*, 16'. In the next step, the other disc or ring 25 is placed over the other disc ring support 24, entering the trunnions 31 of the pair of parts 16 16 in the correct sockets 32 and thereby aligning the square spline openings 27' of that disc or ring 25 and its disc support 24. The square bolts 33 are then inserted in the complete spline holes 27' and their nuts 33 tightened to about ,3 clearance and the nuts locked with cotter pins.

The reel or drum is now fully assembled and ready to be placed over the water-cooled square driving shaft 21 in the conventional manner. 7

in operation, in coiling and uncoiling hot strip as it is fed out and into a hot strip mill, as will be seen from FIGURES l and 3, the reel 42 is mounted on the watercooled driving shaft 21 and is located in a heat-retaining chamber 29 of mill assembly, comprising driven work rolls 43, 44 operating between driven backing up rolls 45, 46 mounted in mill stand.

The mill stand is provided on opposite sides thereof with run-out tables 47, on which are mounted, in horizontal alignment, the usual driven table rolls, as at 48, 49. On each side of the mill stand, there is also provided a pinch roll assembly, including lower and upper pinch rolls 5t), 51, roll 50 being mounted on a fixed axis, while roll 51 is elevatable, in a manner generally described in said Steckel patent, by means of an hydraulically actuated cylinder piston assembly, in a manner well understood and described in said patent, and hence, requiring no further detailed description therein.

A coiling reel shown generally at 42, in accordance with the invention as above-described, is mounted on a water-cooled shaft 21 and in the manner shown in FIG URE 3, above the run-out table 47 on one side of the mill stand, it being understood that a similar coiling reel, is similarly mounted on the opposite side of the mill stand. The coiling reel 42 is mounted within a heatconserving chamber or furnace 29, through the side Walls of which extend burner nozzles for injecting oilfired or gas-fired flames into the furnace, thus to minimize heat loss in the hot metal strip being rolled. For deflecting the hot strip material issuing from the work rolls 43, 44 onto the coiling reel 42, a kick-up mechanism is provided, as shown generally at 52, and comprising a deflector member 53 pivoted to a shaft. and actuated by means of hydraulic pressure cylinder which elevates and depresses the deflecting member 53 through a system of linkages 54. a

In the operation of the mill, a slab of hot metal is fed along the table rolls 49 in the conventional manner, and hot reduced, by successive passages between the work rolls 43, 44, the initial reduction being carried out by a flat rolling operation, in which the coilers are not employed, until the slab is reduced to an elongated strip of suflicient length and sufiicient reduced thickness for coiling. It will be understood that during the flat rolling operation, the kick-up mechanism 54 is so adjusted that the deflector element 53 is in the lower or horizontal position, whereby the slab or strip being rolled can be fed back and forth in the flat state exclusively by means of the table rolls. Also, during the flat rolling opera tion, the upper pinch roll51 is normally maintained in an elevated position, and out of contact with the hot strip material being rolled.

When, however, the strip has been reduced to a thickness and increased to a length suitable for coiling, the upper pinch roll 51 is lowered, so that on. the next passage of the strip between the work rolls 43, 44, the leading edge of the strip is engaged by the pinch rolls. 50, 51, and fed thence to the kick-up 53, which meantime has been actuated to the elevated position shown, for deflecting the strip end upwardly toward the coiling reel 42. The coiling reel 42 is normally rotated slowly, when not in use, in order to maintain all surface portions thereof at a um'form temperature and prevent sagging of components. However, just prior to deflection of the strip end upward to the coiler, the coiler rotation is arrested by the mill operator in such position that one of the slots 34 is positioned in alignment with the deflector element 53. Thus, as the strip end is fed by the pinch rolls up the face of the deflector element 53, it enters one of the slots 34 of the coiler. As soon as the strip end has been received in the coiler slot, to the full depth thereof, the operator actuates the coiler drive shaft to rotate the coiler or reel in the direction indicated by the arrow 55 thereon, whereby as the reel or coiler 42 whips around in this direction, it bends the strip end over the projecting lip of the peripheral part 16 engaging the same, being facilitated in this action by the guide roller 56 mounted just above the kick-up 53, this bending of the strip end being efiected in the manner illustrated by the dotted lines 57. In this way the strip end is bent into locking engagement with the peripheral parts 16 of the coiler which engages the strip, so that as the rotation of the coiler 42in the direction of shaft 21 is continued, the strip is rapidly wound up on the drum at the same rate as it issues from between the work rolls 43, 44 of the mill stand.

The operator watches the coiling operation quite closely, and as soon as the trailing edge of the strip clears the work rolls and approaches the pinch rolls, rotation of the reel or coiler, pinch and table rolls are stopped, and the direction of rotation reversed, thus to feed the trailing strip end back between the work rolls, this operation continuing until what was formerly the leading edge of the strip, has cleared the coiler drum, and also the pinch rolls 50, 51 and the work rolls 43, 44, at which time the direction of strip feed is again reversed, and the cycle of operations repeated in the manner aforesaid. It will be understood in this connection that the same cycle of operations is carried out by the corresponding equipment on the opposite side of the mill stand, to reel and unreel the strip onto and from the reel or coiler 42 on that side of the mill stand.

The invention as herein above set forth is embodied in particular form of construction but may be variously embodied within the scope of the claims hereinafter made.

I claim:

1. A coiling reel for hot strip metal, comprising: a hub member adapted for mounting over a shaft for rotation about its longitudinal axis; axially spaced disc elements mounted on said hub member for rotation therewith, each of which comprises an outer ring and an inner ring with an annular expansion joint between their inner and outer peripheries, respectively, a pair of peripheral arcuate segments radially spaced from said hub member on opposite sides thereof, and extending between said disc members, said arcuate segments being suspended at their ends from the outer rings of said disc elements by expansion joints for initial thermal expansion of the arcuate segments independently relative to said disc elements; and strip-end supporting elements protruding radially from diametrically opposite portions of the hub member in spaced relation between the arcuate extremeties of the arcuate segments.

2. A coiling reel for hot strip metal, comprising: a pair of semi-circular arcuate segmental peripheral parts for supporting a coil of strip material; a middle part composed of a hub section mountable over an internally cooled rotary shaft for winding the reel, a pair of outwardly converging blades projecting radially outwardly from diametrically opposite portions of the hub for engaging the leading end of strip material to coil the same on the reel, and axially spaced radial ring supports disposed on the hub portion beyond the opposite ends of the converging blades for rotatably supporting outer radial rings thereon; a pair of radial ring parts detachably mounted over said axially spaced ring supports in a position to suspend said pair of arcuate segmental peripheral parts in spaced relation to said middle part so as to leave a pair of strip entrance slots between the middle part and the arcuate segmental peripheral parts for reception of the leading end of a strip into engagement with the converging blades on the middle part; detachable means for rotationally interlocking the radial ring parts with said ring supports for rotation of the ring parts in unison with the rotation of the ring supports along with the hub section of said middle part, and means interconnecting the axial ends of the arcuate segmental peripheral parts with the ring parts for suspension of the segmental peripheral parts between the ring parts with initial independent expansion of the segmental peripheral parts relative to the ring parts.

3. A coiling reel, as claimed in claim 2, and in which the detachable means for interlocking said radial ring parts with said ring supports comprise splined joints.

4. A coiling reel, as claimed in claim 2, and in which said means interconnecting the axial ends of said peripheral parts with said ring parts comprise initially freely expansible trunnion and socket joints.

5. A coiling reel, as claimed in claim 2, and in which the segmental peripheral parts are suspended from the ring parts so that the arcuate extremity of one segmental peripheral part is held in position closer to one of the converging blades on the middle part than the portion of the extremity of the other segmental peripheral part on the other side of that converging blade, and the opposite extremity of said other segmental peripheral part is held closer to the other converging blade than the extremity of the first mentioned segmental peripheral part on the other side of that other converging blade.

Steckel Oct. 16, 1934 Perm Feb. 19, 1952 

